The City of Hemet placed Measure U on the ballot seeking voter approval of a 1% transactions and use tax (hereinafter, the “tax”) to be used for general municipal services and all lawful public purposes of the City of Hemet.

If Measure U is approved, a one cent per dollar tax will be levied on the sale of all tangible personal property sold at retail within the City of Hemet, as well as upon the storage, use or other consumption of tangible personal property purchased from any retailer within the City of Hemet. The tax would be collected in the same manner and at the same time as sales taxes. Proceeds of the tax will be deposited in the City’s general fund and will be subject to the same independent annual audit as other general fund revenue.

Measure U requires the creation of a “Citizens’ Oversight Committee” to furnish independent advisory review of the expenditure of the tax revenues. The Committee will meet at least twice per year and its meetings will be subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act. The Committee will consist of seven members, all of whom are residents of the City or its sphere of influence, or own a business having its primary offices located in the City. Committee members will be appointed by the City Council for a two-year term. The Committee will annually review and report on the City’s proposed and actual expenditure of the tax proceeds, which will be submitted to the City Council for review at a noticed public meeting. The Committee will also review the required independent annual audit prior to its final review by the City Council.

California Revenue and Taxation Code section 7285.9 authorizes the City of Hemet to levy the proposed tax if the ordinance proposing the tax is approved by a two-thirds vote of the City Council and a majority of the voters. The Council approved the tax ordinance for submittal to the voters by a 4-1 vote on July 26, 2016. If approved by a majority of the voters, the ordinance would take effect on March 1, 2017 and would continue for a period of ten (10) years hereafter. The tax will be automatically repealed effective March 1, 2027 if not extended by a vote of the people.

By: ERIC VAIL City Attorney, City of Hemet

The above statement is an impartial analysis of ORDINANCE NO. 1918 (Measure U). If you desire a copy of the ordinance or measure, please call the elections official’s office at (951) 765-2307 and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you. You may also view the Full Text of Measure U at www.cityofhemet.org.

— City Attorney, City of Hemet

Arguments FOR

There’s a public safety crisis in Hemet.

• #1 in murders in Riverside County.

• Violent crime is up 50%,

• Trespassing and Disturbing the Peace calls up 1,025%.

• Assaults on police officers up 1,100%.

• Gang members, drug dealers, parolees and sex offenders are

pouring into Hemet.

• Hemet has 25% fewer police officers today than in 2010.

Last year, Hemet Fire Department responded to 16,171 calls for medical, rescue and fire emergencies, the most per capita in California.

• Since 2008, Fire Department staffing cut 40%.

• Fire Station 5 in eastern Hemet is without a fire engine, and not all fire stations have paramedics on duty.

With a decline in property and sales tax revenue caused by the Great Recession, the City lacks the resources to confront our public safety crisis.

California State Audit found no malfeasance and validated that the lack of revenue has drastically impacted public safety.

More boots on the ground will force criminals to go elsewhere and keep Hemet safe!

Measure U provides opportunities to:

• Add 39 new police officers patrolling neighborhoods

• Ensure faster 911 emergency response

• Restore police anti-gang and anti-drug units

• Expand tracking of parolees and sex offenders

• Provide paramedics at every fire station

• Restore Fire Engine Company at Station 5

Measure U adds 1¢ to the sales tax on every dollar spent, generating $10 million annually providing opportunities for public safety, much of it paid by shoppers from outside our city.

Temecula, Menifee and Riverside are all fighting crime with new sales taxes. If we don’t, Hemet will get even worse as all their criminals will scurry to our corner!

• Do U feel safe?

• Do U want to be safe?

• Then U should vote YES on U!

STOP CRIME

KEEP HEMET SAFE---VOTE YES ON MEASURE U

keephemetsafe.com

By: Keep Hemet Safe

Howard Rosenthal, Co-Chair, Keep Hemet Safe

— Riverside County Registrar of Voters

Arguments AGAINST

NO “U” DON’T.

After spending more than $300,000 in a failed June tax measure; the union-controlled special interests and their County friends (who won’t pay the tax) are back at it again with a 12.5% sales tax increase that goes directly into the General Fund and can be spent in any manner the City Council deems appropriate for the next ten years. THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC SAFETY TAX. Don’t be fooled.The legacy of failure for the past 10 years is instructive for one to confidently cast a vote opposing this tax. Ridiculous real estate purchases, City Manager payoffs, City Union giveaways, and more overpaid consultants than one can count – all have contributed to our the current financial mess. The chickens have finally come home to roost and we taxpayers are being pressured to write the bailout check.

Just say NO.

Know that when our non-resident Police Chief spends his time promoting new taxes, he is the highest paid Hemet employee making over $315,000 per year in salary and benefits. He is protecting his pension first and foremost. Our Fire Chief is a double-dipping public retiree who is paid more than $400,000 with his Orange County pension and Hemet salary. More than 32 of our Hemet safety employees make more than $200,000 per year. Thanks to prior city councils that have put union demands above the interest of the taxpayers, Hemet now has an unfunded pension liability exceeding $132,000,000. ENOUGH.

A sales tax increase is most unfair to retirees on fixed incomes. Ask yourself why an increase in sales taxes as opposed to property taxes is being proposed. The answer lies in those who support it from the County area to the east.

Hemet voters need to reject this tax and elect City Council members who will represent the taxpayers and not the local unions.

HemetTaxpayers.net

By: Robert S. Righetti, Hemet Taxpayers Association

Raymond Strait, Hemet Taxpayers Association

Charles C. Moore, Hemet City Council Candidate, 1st Dist.

Cameron Broderick, Hemet City Council Candidate, 3rd Dist.

Paul Valenzuela, Hemet City Council Candidate, 4th Dist.

— Riverside County Registrar of Voters

Replies to Arguments FOR

Mark Twain said it best – “There are lies, damned lies, and statistics.” Percentage increases are inherently deceptive and the protax folks are using every trick in the book to scare voters into passing this tax. THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC SAFETY TAX. Even the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has weighed in by calling Hemet’s public safety linkage an “offensive proposal” and further stating that “Tax elections should not be manipulated by promising the voters a specific purpose while evading the 2/3 vote needed to pass a special tax.”

The pro-tax promoters are asking voters to sign a blank check. The increased revenue will be the highest in Hemet history and can be used for anything that a mere three members of the Hemet City Council deem worthy. Given their pitifully poor track record, providing more taxes will only promote and encourage further wasteful spending.

The current City Council majority has clearly shown they favor the unions over the taxpayers. And why shouldn’t they – the unions are responsible for putting them into office. When U think of Measure U, think Unions and how they currently control our City Council. Their astronomically high salaries and benefits tell the story behind this tax.DON’T BE FOOLED.

Voters need to demand proper management and strict accountability – not pay more taxes. We currently have no accountability in the City of Hemet. You can change that with this election. When the pro-tax forces say they know best how to spend your taxes, just say -- NO “U” DON’T.

HemetTaxpayers.net

By: Robert S. Righetti, Hemet Taxpayers Association

Raymond Strait, Hemet Taxpayers Association

Charles C. Moore, Hemet City Council Candidate, 1st District

Cameron Broderick, Hemet City Council Candidate, 3rd District

Paul Valenzuela, Hemet Council Candidate, 4th District

— Riverside County Registrar of Voters

Replies to Arguments AGAINST

Do you feel Safe?

Opponents of Measure U are willing to compromise your safety in order to pursue their narrow political agenda. They offer no solutions to stop crime in our city, just political attacks on public employees.

Criminals have overrun Hemet. The city does not have the resources to adequately fight crime. Measure U gives us the resources to control our own destiny, adding more boots on the ground patrolling our neighborhoods, restoring Hemet’s quality of life and allowing us to feel safe in our homes.

Opponents of Measure U claim a sales tax is unfair to low-income residents. The truth is that the sales tax exempts necessities like food and prescription drugs, and much of the revenue it generates will come from people who shop here but live outside our city.

Opponents’ alternative — a property tax increase — would hurt seniors on fixed incomes far more than a small increase in the sales tax.

You know we have a crime problem in Hemet, it impacts you, your family, your property values and your quality of life - and if we do nothing it will just get worse. OPPONENTS OF MEASURE U OFFERNO SOLUTIONS, just political attacks.

Measure U is supported by people who care about their hometown and want to make it safe again — every major church organization, the Chamber of Commerce, local Republicans and Democrats, physicians, retail store owners, and individuals from every income level.